London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Luke 1900

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Luke, Middlesex]

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12
Measles.—For the same reason as that mentioned in reference
to whooping cougli the degree of Measles can onlj be judged by
the number of deaths ascribed to it, but it is satisfactory to note
that it is credited with having been the cause of 26 deaths only
against 37 in 1898. The number of deaths in 1899 was 25.
The Registrar-General's Report shows that Measles was the
certified cause of 1,936 deaths in the Metropolis against 2,143
in 1899 and 3,075 in 1898, and the death-rate was equal to 0.42
per 1,000 as compared to 0.62, the average for the previous ten
years.
Influenza.—Twenty-two deaths were ascribed to this
disease during the year against 30 for 1899 and 10 for 1898.
The deaths occurring in London from this cause numbered
1,950, being the greatest number recorded since the epidemic of
1895.
Phthisis.—There was a marked decrease in the number of
deaths from Consumption during the past year as compared with
the preceding year. The number which occurred in the Parish
was 89, of which 34 occurred at the Royal Hospital for Diseases
of the Chest, but 31 of these being non-parishioners may be
deducted. On the other hand, 69 parishioners died from the
malady in institutions outside the parochial area, making a total
of 137 belonging to St. Luke against 144 for the preceding
year, and equal to a death rate of 11.8 per cent, of the total
deaths (1,075.)

The proportion of deaths due to Phthisis during the previous 5 years was as under:—

Total Deaths.Deaths from Phthisis.Rate per cent.
1899115114412.5
1898105310610.0
1897104712612.0
1896105511811.1
189512161088.8

It will be seen that with a single exception the deaths from
Phthisis showed a tendency to increase each year until the year
under consideration, when a marked improvement took place,
nevertheless the Registrar General reports that St. Luke still
occupies an unfavourable position amongst the London Sanitary
Areas with respect to deaths from this cause, viz.: 3.16 per 1,000
persons living, and is only exceeded bv the Strand with 3.26 and
in St. (ieorge the Martyr, Southwark, with 3.66 per 1,000, while
Hampstead only yeilded 0.85, Lee 0.96 and Stoke Newington
1.04 per 1,000.